Thermostatically controlled switch means having improved reset means therefor



p 1966 s. E. MANECKE THERMOSTATICALLY HAVING IMPROVED Filed April 20,1964 CONTROLLED SWITCH MEANS RESET MEANS THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.3

INVENTOR. SIEGFRIED E.MANECKE HIS ATTORNEYS FIG.8

Sept. 13, 1966 s. E. MANECKE 3,272,946 THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLEDSWITCH MEANS HAVING IMPROVED RESET MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 20, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 2 if INVENTOR. SIEGFRIED E. MANECKE Mdmdn HIS ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,272,946 THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED SWITCH MEANSHAVING IMPROVED RESET MEANS THEREFOR Siegfried E. Manecke, Indiana, Pa.,assignor to Robertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Apr. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 361,141 8 Claims. (Cl. 200-138)This invention relates to an improved manually reset thermostaticcontrol device as well as to improve parts for such a control device orthe like.

It is Well known that manually reset thermostatic control devices areprovided wherein a thermostatic member of the device is adapted to openelectrical contact means of the device when the thermostatic membersenses a temperature above a predetermined temperature whereby thecontact means remain in the open condition thereof until a manuallyoperated reset button or the like is moved to its resetting position toreset the thermostatic member so that the contact means can move totheir closed position.

While such thermostatic control devices have many wide uses andapplications thereof, one such use is to utilize the manually resetthermostatic control device in combination with a water heaterthermostatic means so that when the thermostatic member of the manuallyreset thermostatic control device senses that the temperature of thewater heater tank has exceeded a predetermined safe limit, the manuallyreset thermostatic control device terminates the operation of the heatermeans of the water heater tank until the manually reset thermostaticcontrol device is manually reset.

However, it has been found that such prior known manually resetthermostatic control devices permit the contact means thereof to closewhen the reset member is moved to its resetting position even though thethermostatic member thereof has not been cooled sufficiently to let thesame be reset by the reset member whereby current is permitted to flowthrough the thermostatic device when the reset member is moved to itsresetting position even though the thermostatic member is sensing atemperature which requires the thermostatic control device to terminatethe flow of the electrical current therethrough. Thus, it can be seenthat such prior known thermostatic control devices can provide unsafeconditions.

However, according to the teachings of this invention, an improvedmanually reset thermostatic control device is provided wherein thecontact means thereof will not close when the reset member is moved tothe resetting position and the thermostatic member has not cooledsufiiciently to permit the same to be reset.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedmanually reset thermostatic control device having one or more of thenovel features of this invention as set forth above or hereinafter shownor described.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved parts for such athermostatic control device or the like. Other objects, uses andadvantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of thisdescription which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawingsforming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of one embodiment of the improved thermostaticcontrol device of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged rear view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1and as taken in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 and illustrates the device inanother operating position thereof.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating therelationship of the actuating member of this invention together with thereset member thereof.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 and is taken on line 9-9 ofFIGURE 3, FIGURE 9 illustrating the control device in an operatingposition different than the operating position illustrated in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and illustrates anotherembodiment of the control device of this invention.

FIGURE 11 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged rear view of the device illustrated in FIGURE10 and as taken in the direction of the arrows 12-12 of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 13-13 of FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 14-14 of FIGURE12.

FIGURE 15 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 15-15 of FIGURE 12 andillustrates the control device in an operating position different thanFIGURE 14.

FIGURE 16 is a perspective view of the reset member of this invention.

FIGURES 17 and 18 are respectively fragmentary rear views of the housingof this invention and illustrate the manner of locking the reset memberof FIGURE 16 relative thereto. While the various features of thisinvention are hereinafter described and illustrated as beingparticularly adaptable to provide a manually reset means for anelectrical control device, -it is to be understood that the variousfeatures of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combinationthereof to provide structure for other types of control devices or thelike.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utitlizedto illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the improved manually reset thermostaticcontrol device of this invention is generally indicated by the referencenumeral 20 and comprises a housing 21 suitably attached to [a mountingbracket 22 that is adapted to partially close the rear surface of thehousing 21 in a manner hereinafter described.

In particular, the housing 21 has a pair of opposed recesses 23 providedtherein and defining shoulders 24.

The mounting bracket 22 is adapted to be disposed against the rearsurface thereof and has outwardly extending flange means 25 which aredisposed around the four sides of the housing 21 in the mannerillustrated in FIGURE 2 so that the housing 21 is substantially receivedin a cup-shaped portion of the mounting bracket 22. Thereafter, a pairof ears 26 extending from the side flanges 25 of the mounting bracket 22are bent inwardly into the recesses 23 of the housing 21 to be dis posedagainst the shoulders 24 thereof and interconnect and fasten the bracket22 to the housing 21.

The bracket 22 has outwardly directed flanges 27 respectively providedwith mounting means 28 where-by the control device 20 is adapted to bemounted to any supporting structure by suitable fastening memberspassing through the apertures 28 of he mounting bracket 22.

Therefore, it can be seen that the plate-like portion 29 of the mountingbracket 22 provides a cover means for the rear side of the housing 21,the bracket 22 having a circular opening 30 passing through the rearplate 29 thereof to expose a thermostatic member 31 of the controldevice 20 for a purpose hereinafter described. While the plate-likeportion 29 of the mounting bracket 22 closes the rear side of thehousing 21, the same also provides means for holding the disc-shapedbi-metallic thermostatic member 31 in suitable recesses 32 formed in thehousing 21.

The housing 21 has four terminal posts 33, 34, 35 and 36 carried therebyand respectively electrically interconnected to plate-like members 37,38, 39 and 40 respectively carrying electrical contacts 41, 42, 43 and44.

Suitable electrical leads are adapted to be interconnected to theterminal posts 33,-36 by threaded fastening members 45 carried by theposts 33-36.

The control device 20 of this invention is adapted to electricallyinterconnect the terminal posts 33 and 34 by a bridging member 46 andthe terminal posts 35 and 36 by a bridging member 47 when thethermostatic control member 31 is disposed in the snapped positionillustrated in FIGURE in a manner hereinafter described, the bridgingmember 46 being placed in electrical contact with the contacts 41 and 42and the bridging member 47 being placed in electrical contact with thecontacts 43 and 44. In order to maintain the bridging members 46 and 47in contact with the contacts 41-44, suitable compression springs 48 arecarried by the housing 21 and continually urge the bridging members 46and 47 upwardly -in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 6 toelectrically interconnect the terminals 33, 34 and 35, 36 together.

A substantially Y-shaped yoke or actuating member 49 is carried by thehousing 21 and has its base leg 50 normally disposed in engagement withthe under side of the thermostatic member 31 and the branch legs 51 and52 respectively disposed inengagement with the bridging members 46 and47 in the manner illustrated in FIG- URE 6. Thus, when the thermostaticmember 31 snaps over center in one directoin from the positionillustrated in FIGURE 6 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 upon thethermostatic member 31 sensing a temperature above a predeterminedtemperature, the actuating'member 49 is moved downwardly in the mannerillustrated in FIG URE 7 to move the bridging members 46 and 47downwardly in opposition to the force of the compression springs 48 toopen the respective pair of contacts 41, 42 and 43, 44 wherebyelectrical current through the control device 20 is terminated.

Once the thermostatic member 31 has snapped over center from theposition illustrated in FIGURE 6 to the position illustrated in FIGURE7, the thermostatic member 31 remains in the snapped conditionillustrated in FIG- URE 7 until the same is manually reset in a mannerhereinafter described regardless of a change in temperature whereby thethermostatic member 31 prevents the control device 20 from transmittingelectrical current therethrough until the thermostatic member 31 hasbeen reset in a manner hereinafter described.

As illustrated in FIGURE 16, a reset member 53 is provided by thisinvention and comprises a button portion 54 having a shaft-like portion55 extending from one side thereof, the shaft-like portion 55 havingoutwardly directed opposed flange means 56 disposed spaced from thebutton portion 54 thereof as well as spaced from the free end 57 of theshaft portion 55.

In addition, a slot 58 is formed in the shaft portion 55 of the resetmember 53 and extends from the free end 57 thereof toward the buttonportion 54 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 16.

The housing 21 has a substantially circular opening 59 passingtherethrough and interconnected to opposed slots 60 in the mannerillustrated in FIGURES 17 and 18.

The reset member 53 is adapted to be assembled to the housing 21 byrotating the same to the position illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE17 so that the shaft portion 55 and flanges 56 thereof can be telescopedthrough the opening 59 and slots 60 until the flanges 56 have passedbeyond the wall 61 of the housing 21.

Thereafter, the locking member 43 is rotated from the positionillustrated in FIGURE 17 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 18whereby the flanges 56 of the reset member 53 lock with the housing 61to prevent removal of the reset member 53 therefrom. However, the resetmember is adapted to be axially moved relative to the housing 21 becauseof the spacing between the button portion 54 and flanges 56 of thelocking member 53 for a purpose hereinafter described. a

With the reset member 53 disposed in the position illustrated in FIGURE18, it can be seen that the actuating member 49 is adapted to beinserted in the slot 58 thereof into the position illustrated in FIGURE6 whereby the actuating member 49 locks the reset member 53 in itsinterlocking rotational position relative to the housing 21 so that thereset member 53 cannot be disassembled therefrom unless the actuatingmember 49 is removed from the slot 58 of the reset member 53.

After the actuating member 49 has been assembled into the positionillustrated in FIGURE 6, the thermostatic member 31 can be disposed inthe recesses 32 of the housing 21 and the mounting member or cover 22can be assembled thereto to hold the thermostatic member 31- in itsassembled position as illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The operation of the control device 20 of this invention will now bedescribed.

As long as the thermosatic member 31 of the control device 20 isdisposed in the position illustrated in FIG- URE 5 and does not sense atemperature at or higher than a temperature that would cause the same tosnap over center from the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 to theposition illustrated in FIGURE 7, the compression springs 48 are adaptedto urge the bridging members 46 and 47 upwardly to bridge the contacts41, 42 and 43, 44 as the actuating member 49 in cooperation with thethermostatic element 31 does not impede such electrical bridging contactwhereby current is adapted to continuously flow between the terminals33, 34 and the terminals 35, 36 for any desired purpose.

However, should the thermostatic member 31 sense a temperature at orabove a predetermined temperature, the same snaps over center from theposition illustrated in FIGURE 4 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7to cause the actuating member 49 to move the bridging member 46 and 47downwardly in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 7 to move the bridgingmembers 46 and 47 out of contact with the contacts 41-44 wherebyelectrical current through the control device 20 of this invention isterminated until the thermostatic member 31 is manually reset from theposition illustrated in FIGURE 7 to the position illustrated in FIGURE5.

In order to reset the thermostatic member 31, the person pushes in onthe button portion 54 of the reset member 53 to move the same upwardlyfrom the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 and causethe end 57 of theshaft portion 55 of the reset member 53 to engage the thermostaticmember 31 and push the same upwardly in FIG- URE 7 to cause thethermostatic member 31 to again snap over center to the positionillustrated in FIGURE 5 to permit electrical current to flow through thecontrol device 20 by the closing of the bridging members 46 and 47against the contacts 41-44 in the manner previously described.

However, it may be found that when the operator presses the reset member53 to reset the control device 20, the thermostatic member 3-1 may nothave cooled sufliciently to permit the same to be reset from theposition illustrated in FIG-URE 7 to the position illustrated in FIGURE5 whereby the actuating member 49 and reset member 53 of this inventionare so constructed and arranged that the same prevent the flow ofelectrical current through the control device 20 when the reset member53 is moved to its resetting position and the thermostatic member 31does not snap over center from the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 tothe position illustrated in FIGURE 5.

In particular, it can readily be seen in FIGURE 8 of the drawings thatwhen the reset member 53 is moved to its resetting position, the end 62of the base leg 50 of the actuating member 49 is adapted to extendbeyond the free end 57 of the reset member 53 by the force of thecompression springs 48 if the thermostatic member 31 is snapped backover center from the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 to the positionillustrated in FIGURE 5.

Thus, it can be seen that when the reset member 53 is moved to itsresetting position and the thermostatic member 31 does not snap backover center from the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 to the positionillustrated in FIGURE 5, the thermostatic member 31 is adapted to holdthe surface 6 2 of the base leg 50 of the actuating member 49 coplanarwith the end surface 57 of the reset member 53 whereby the actuatingmember 49 still holds the bridging members 46 and 47 away from thecontacts 4147 in the manner illustrated in FIIG UR E 9 so that noelectrical current can flow through the control device 20 even thoughthe reset member 53 has been moved to its reset position as illustratedin FIGURE 9.

Therefore, it can be seen that when the thermostatic element 31 hassensed an unsafe condition and has terminated the flow of electricalcurrent through the control device 20 and still senses that an unsafecondition exists, the operator cannot effect closing of the contactmeans of the control device 20 during an attempted reset operation ofthe control device 20 so that no hazardous condition can exist during anattempted resetting of the control device 20.

While the control device 20 of this invention has been previouslydescribed as having two sets of contact means to be opened and closed inthe manner previously described, it is to be understood that the controldevice 20 of this invention can be readily modified so that only onepair of contact means are provided which are to be bridged by a bridgingmember of this invention.

In particular, reference is made to FIGURES -15 wherein another controldevice of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral63 and parts thereof similar to the control device 20 previouslydescribed are indicated by like reference numerals followed by thereference letter A.

It can readily be seen in FIGURES 1015 that the control device 63 hasthe terminal posts 35 and 36 contact carrying plates 39 and 40,electrical contacts 43, 34, and the bridging member 47 and itsassociated compression spring 48 eliminated so that only electricalcontacts 41A and 42A are provided in the housing 21A.

In addition, the actuating member 49A of the control device 63 has theright-hand branch 51A thereof modified from the configuration of thebranch 51 of the actuating member 49 to compensate for the missing partsof the control device 63.

However, it is to be understood that the control device 63 of thisinvention operates in exactly the same manner as the control device 20previously described except that the control device 63 merely provides aflow of current between the terminals 33A and 34A thereof whereby thevarious parts of this invention can be utilized to provide either a fourterminal device as illustrated in FIGURE 1 or a two terminal device asillustrated in FIGURE 10 with each device 20 and 63 operating in exactlythe same manner for the reasons and functions previously set forth.

Therefore, it can be seen that not only does this invention provide animproved manually reset thermostatic control device, but this inventionalso provides improved parts for such a thermostatic control device orthe like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed asrequired by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within thescope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination a support means, a control member carried by saidsupport means and having at least a portion thereof being movablebetween two positions relative to said support means, contact meanscarried by said support means, one of said contact means being movableagainst and away from the other con-tact means, said movable contactmeans having contact closing means normally tending to place saidmovable contact means into contact with said other contact means, meansdisposed between said control member and said movable contact means andhaving opposed ends respectively engageable with said control member andsaid movable contact means whereby said contact closing means placessaid contact means in electrical contact with each other when saidcontrol member is in one of said two positions thereof and whereby saidactuating means moves said movable contact means away from said othercontact means when said control member is moved to said other positionthereof, and movable reset means carried by said support means forresetting said control member from said other position thereof to saidone position thereof, said reset means being movable between first andsecond positions thereof relative to said support means, said resetmeans having an end engaging said control member when said reset meansis moved to said second portion thereof and said control member is insaid other position thereof, said reset means when moved to said secondposition there-of only moving said control member from said otherposition thereof towards said one position thereof to a reset pointinsufficient to have said contact closing means move said movablecontact means against said other contact means whereby said contactmeans are not electrically interconnected together unless said controlmember moves beyond said reset point toward said one position thereof.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control member isa temperature sensing element.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said temperaturesensing element moves from said one position thereof to said otherposition thereof when said element senses a temperature above apredetermined temperature.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said temperaturesensing element only moves from said reset point to said one positionthereof when said element senses a temperature below a certaintemperature.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said temperaturesensing element comprises a snap disc which when snapped over center bysensing said predetermined temperature moves to said other positionthereof and remains in said other position thereof until reset back tosaid one position thereof by said reset means.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said respective ends ofsaid actuating means and said reset means that engage said controlmember are ooaxially aligned.

movable actuating 7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein saidReferences Cited by the Examiner respective ends of said actuating meansand said reset UNITED STATES PATENTS means that engage said controlmember are arranged so that the end of said actuating means extendsbeyond said 1645428 10/1927 Hoismer et a1 ZEN-.103

2,148,880 2/1939 Sattler 200--116 end of said reset means toward saidcontrol member when 5 2,538,080 1/1951 Bolesky 200 138 said controlmember is in sa1d one position thereof and 2,714 644 8/1955 Harrison 200138 Said reset means is in said second position thereof. 2,719:061 9 55Beatty 237 1O3 8. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein an- 3 14 702 1 19 5 Ruckriegel et 1 2()0 138 other pair of contact means iscarried by said support means and is operated in the same manner as saidfirst- 10 BE N R G LHEANY, Primary Examiner.

named contact m L. A. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION A SUPPORT MEANS, A CONTROL MEMBER CARRIED BY SAIDSUPPORT MEANS AND HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF BEING MOVABLEBETWEEN TWO POSITIONS RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, CONTACT MEANSCARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS, ONE OF SAID CONTACT MEANS BEING MOVABLEAGAINST AND AWAY FROM THE OTHER CONTACT MEANS, SAID MOVABLE CONTACTMEANS HAVING CONTACT CLOSING MEANS NORMALLY TENDING TO PLACE SAIDMOVABLE CONTACT MEANS INTO CONTACT WITH SAID OTHER CONTACT MEANS,MOVABLE ACTUATING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CONTROL MEMBER AND SAIDMOVABLE CONTACT MEANS AND HAVING OPPOSED ENDS RESPECTIVELY ENGAGEABLEWITH SAID CONTROL MEMBER AND SAID MOVABLE CONTACT MEANS WHEREBY SAIDCONTACT CLOSING MEANS PLACES SAID CONTACT MEANS IN ELECTRICAL CONTACTWITH EACH OTHER WHEN SAID CONTROL MEMBER IS IN ONE OF SAID TWO POSITIONSTHEREOF AND WHEREBY SAID ACTUATING MEANS MOVES SAID MOVABLE CONTACTMEANS AWAY FROM SAID OTHER CONTACT MEANS WHEN SAID CONTROL MEMBER ISMOVED TO SAID OTHER POSITION THEREOF, AND MOVABLE RESET MEANS CARRIED BYSAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR RESETTING SAID CONTROL MEMBER FROM SAID OTHERPOSITION THEREOF TO SAID ONE POSITION THEREOF, SAID RESET MEANS BEINGMOVABLE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS THEREOF RELATIVE TO SAIDSUPPORT MEANS, SAID RESET MEANS HAVING AN END ENGAGING SAID CONTROLMEMBER WHEN SAID RESET MEANS IS MOVED TO SAID SECOND PORTION THEREOF ANDSAID CONTROL MEMBER IS IN SAID OTHER POSITION THEREOF, SAID RESET MEANSWHEN MOVED TO SAID SECOND POSITION THEREOF ONLY MOVING SAID CONTROLMEMBER FROM SAID OTHER POSITION THEREOF TOWARDS SAID ONE POSITIONTHEREOF TO A RESET POINT INSUFFICIENT TO HAVE SAID CONTACT CLOSING MEANSMOVE SAID MOVABLE CONTACT MEANS AGAINST SAID OTHER CONTACT MEANS WHEREBYSAID CONTACT MEANS ARE NOT ELECTRICALLY INTERCONNECTED TOGETHER UNLESSSAID CONTROL MEMBER MOVES BEYOND SAID RESET POINT TOWARD SAID ONEPOSITION THEREOF.